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CarComplaints.com Notes: For the third year in a row, the 3rd generation Focus is experiencing massive transmission problems.

Most notably owners keep complaining about how there's bad hesitation and jerking when starting from a stop. This isn't the result of an old, worn out part. In fact, the average mileage it's reported to us is just over 15k miles.

1.8

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
90,536 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2014 Ford Focus transmission problems

transmission problem

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2014 Ford Focus Owner Comments

problem #19

Mar 132018

Focus

  • 57,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently; however, the failure previously occurred while in traffic. The contact also stated that the failure occurred while the contact and the contact's son were driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that previously the failure had been repaired under warranty however, the repair only lasted for approximately nine months. The contact was informed that the repair would no longer be covered under the extended warranty under the Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

- Tulare, CA, USA

problem #18

Nov 082019

Focus

  • 91,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after the vehicle was refueled, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and DTC code: P1450 (EVAP Emissions Control System) was retrieved. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V813000 (Electrical System) and 14V495000 (Electrical System) as a possible cause for the failure; however, the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall repairs. The contact stated that the transmission control module and the clutch had been replaced several times however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 91,000.

- Grafton, OH, USA

problem #17

Aug 302021

Focus

  • 147,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power while the shifting gear. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.

- Bella Vista, AR, USA

problem #16

Oct 182023

Focus

  • 71,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and was jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the clutch assembly was previously repaired and the TCM was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

- Waterboro, ME, USA

problem #15

Dec 152015

Focus

  • 15,661 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving and shifting between gears. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle taken to the dealer on two occasions, and the transmission clutch was replaced and the PCM was reprogrammed twice; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond upon shifting into reverse (R) and the engine revved. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as if the transmission was in neutral(N). The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Lynch Ford of Mukwonago (1015 Main St, Mukwonago, WI 53149) where it was diagnosed that the TCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was not shifting as intended and the vehicle was shuddering while shifting between gears. The message "Transmission Overheated" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a third dealer, Griffin Ford (1940 E Main St, Waukesha, WI 53186), where it was diagnosed and the transmission actuator was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle with the ignition key, the vehicle failed to start at first attempt, and there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,661.

- East Troy, WI, USA

problem #14

Mar 012023

Focus

  • 135,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at slow speeds, the transmission overheated and failed to allow the vehicle to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and produced code: P0805 P0809. The contact was informed of Manufacturer Recall Number: 19N08 (PCM). The vehicle was repaired; however, after the vehicle was retrieved, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired a third time. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to a different dealer, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

- Lancaster, PA, USA

problem #13

Jul 272022

Focus

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the message -??Transmission Fault. Service Now-?? was displayed. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact veered to the side of the road for a moment. The contact was able to drive to her nearby residence at 5 MPH. The vehicle was then taken to the nearby dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module (TCM) sensors had failed. The dealer replaced the TCM; however, the failure reoccurred. Additionally, the contact stated that she would hear abnormal dragging sounds coming from underneath the vehicle while driving. The contact stated that upon attempting to drive from a complete stop, she vehicle would shudder and fail to respond. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop, where it was diagnosed that the transmission was slipping. The The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the vehicle experienced an internal transmission failure, which caused a hole in the output shaft, and the hole extended to the transmission case. The contact contacted the manufacturer for assistance with repairing the vehicle under an unknown extended warranty, but the manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Sterling Heights, MI, USA

problem #12

Jan 132016

Focus

  • 19,972 miles
The contact's wife owns a 2014 Ford focus. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 65 MPH, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle was jerking. The vehicle then decelerated to 5 MPH with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's wife veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the failure persisted, and the vehicle would not exceed 20 MPH while driving. The contact's wife was able to drive to her destination. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module (TCM) needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic related the failure to Ford Campaign Number: 14M02. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part was on back order for 16 months. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 19,972.

- Evant, TX, USA

problem #11

Feb 162023

Focus

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after a rainstorm, the shift selector would no longer shift from park to drive, rendering the vehicle undrivable. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the PCM was faulty and needed to be replaced. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the PCM was on back order and unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000.

- Huntsville, TX, USA

problem #10

Aug 092022

Focus

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle started shaking and failed to shift gears as needed. The contact stated that the transmission and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle then lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the PCM, TCM, and clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 150,000.

- Cowan, TN, USA

problem #9

Nov 182022

Focus 4-cyl

  • 71,551 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2014 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regard to NHTSA safety recall 18V-735. The consumer stated its been almost 3 years and vehicle is still at the dealer awaiting for them to perform the recall.

- Newport, NC, USA

problem #8

Oct 272022

Focus

  • 162,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the TCM and another unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact was informed that the TCM module needed to be replaced; however, parts would not be available until 2023. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the warranty had expired. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 162,000.

- Chandler, AZ, USA

problem #7

Apr 122022

Focus

  • 114,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while shifted into reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond. The contact also stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the RPM increased and the engine revved while the brake pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an AutoZone where it was placed on a diagnostic machine and produced codes: P090C, U0100-00, U3003-17, U3003-16, U0101-00, U0401-00. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

- Owensboro, KY, USA

problem #6

Jun 172022

Focus

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle felt as if it had shifted to a lower gear and then to neutral. The contact stated that she depressed the accelerator pedal and the engine revved; however, the vehicle did not respond. The contact stated that the vehicle would slip back into gear independently. Additionally, the contact stated that when placing the vehicle in reverse, the vehicle would stall causing her to have to shift the vehicle into park and restart the vehicle. The vehicle would drive normally after a restart. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure became recurring and eventually the vehicle would not start. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the part was on backorder and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

- Centennial, CO, USA

problem #5

May 012022

Focus

  • 78,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated. Additionally, while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the check engine and transmission warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The contact stated that an independent mechanic was called out to the location to reset the ECU module to be able to drive to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the PCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired; however, there was also a pending repair for an unknown recall. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. The VIN was not available.

- Omro, WI, USA

problem #4

Oct 282021

Focus

  • miles
I went to Oxford ME to buy a part on the way back to Augusta, ME the shift module shifted itself from (D)drive to (N) and the car was Rolling backwards as I was on a hill I pump the gas peddle until it shifted back into (D)drive this happened 3 times, I think it's the TCM also, the transmission began slipping after this problem and then the computer shut off the motor and I had to pull over to the side of the road and call a flatbed driver to pick me up at my house that's where I could use the phone 10 miles away! The tow was $127 The TMC Shift Module is $298 plus 5.5% Tax. This car Is Very Dangerous To Drive In Traffic or Anywhere!!! I took it to Quark Ford Dealership in Hallowell, Maine and there they said they can do a safety check on the doors & trunk the transmission check would cost me $126 an Hour to do! So, I left!

- Augusta, ME, USA

problem #3

Feb 122019

Focus

  • 180,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to bob bowen Ford (located at 2189 us-40, brazil, in 47834, (812) 442-2000) where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

- Fishers, IN, USA

problem #2

Dec 072018

Focus

  • 85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving low speeds, the vehicle vibrated abnormally. The contact also stated that the rpms revved up to over 3,000 rpms. The contact stated that the vehicle would remain at a low speed even with the increased rpms. The vehicle was taken to stevens Ford (located at 717 bridgeport ave, milford, ct 06460, (203) 783-5900) where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced and the tcm needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

- Stratford, CT, USA

problem #1

Jun 202016

Focus

  • 43,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle began to lose power. The dealer diagnosed that the PCM needed to be recalibrated. The vehicle was repaired. After the repairs, while driving, the failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

- Decatur, TX, USA

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